'Burn them!' Senator's outrage over U.S. Olympic uniforms that were MADE IN CHINA

Uniforms for U.S. Olympic athletes are American red, white and blue - but made in China.

Members of Congress are fuming over the matter with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid demanding that the Olympic committee 'burn them and start all over again.'

Both Republicans and Democrats joined together on Thursday to rail against the decision to dress Team USA in Chinese manufactured berets, blazers and pants while the American textile industry is struggles with millions of U.S. workers desperate for jobs.

Medal favorite Lochte, seen left at Olympic trials, is barely recognizable in the heavily branded ensemble

'I am so upset. I think the Olympic committee should be ashamed of themselves. I think they should be embarrassed. I think they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again,' Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters at her weekly news conference that she's proud of the nation's Olympic athletes, but 'they should be wearing uniforms that are made in America.'

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said simply of the USOC, 'You'd think they'd know better.'

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In a statement, the U.S. Olympic Committee defended the choice of designer Ralph Lauren for the clothing at the London Games, which begin later this month.

The team unveiled buttoned-up, refined
uniforms designed by Ralph Lauren earlier this week for the opening ceremony
at the London Olympics. Men will wear navy blue blazers with the Olympic team patch, along with a red and navy tie, and cream-colored flat-front pants.

Women will pair the blazers with scarves with red, white and blue stripes, and a knee-length cream-colored skirt. All the team members will top off their uniforms with navy berets highlighted with red and white stripes.

Anger: Several members of Congress fuming, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid demanding that the Olympic committee 'burn them and start all over again'

David Lauren, Ralph Lauren's Executive Vice President, told Today that the company was 'very inspired by the 1948 Games, which is the last time that American competed in England.'

The outfits are supposed to be an 'updated take on old-world elegance.'

'Unlike most Olympic teams around the world, the U.S. Olympic Team is privately funded and we're grateful for the support of our sponsors,' USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky said in a statement.

'We're proud of our partnership with Ralph Lauren, an iconic American company, and excited to watch America's finest athletes compete at the upcoming Games in London.'

In 2002 Winter Olympians wore a sort of beret as well, and it was a hit with consumers

Ralph Lauren also is dressing the Olympic and Paralympic teams for the closing ceremony and providing casual clothes to be worn around the Olympic Village. Nike has made many of the competition uniforms for the U.S. and outfits for the medal stand.

On Twitter, Sandusky called the outrage over the made-in-China uniforms nonsense. The designer, Sandusky wrote, 'financially supports our team. An American company that supports American athletes.

'It is not just a label, it's an economic solution,' said Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y. 'Today there are 600,000 vacant manufacturing jobs in this country and the Olympic committee is outsourcing the manufacturing of uniforms to China? That is not just outrageous, it's just plain dumb. It is self-defeating.'

Senator Israel urged the USOC to reverse the decision and ensure U.S. athletes wear uniforms that are made in America.

Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., sent letters to Lawrence Probst III, chairman of the USOC, complaining about the made-in-China uniforms. Senator Brown suggested that the USOC find a manufacturer with a facility in the United States, suggesting the Hugo Boss plant in Cleveland.

'There is no compelling reason why all of the uniforms cannot be made here on U.S. soil at the same price, at better quality,' Senator Gillibrand and Israel wrote.

Economic: Republicans and Democrats joined together Thursday rail against the Chinese manufactured berets, blazers and pants while the American textile industry struggles with many U.S. workers desperate for jobs

In a tweet, U.S. track and field Olympian Nick Symmonds, who will compete in the 800-meter run at the London Games, wrote: 'Our Ralph Lauren outfits for the Olympic opening ceremonies were made in China. So, um, thanks China.'

'I think they should take all the
uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over
again.'Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

This is hardly the first time patriotism has been discussed when it comes to Olympic clothing. The must-have souvenir of the 2002 Salt Lake Games was a fleece beret, something that athletes wore in the opening ceremony and prompted countless people to spend hours on lines waiting to purchase during those Olympics.

Those berets were made by Roots, a Canadian company that was the official U.S. team outfitter for that opening ceremony.

The marketing folks can only hope
these berets go over as well as they did in 2002, when the U.S. team
wore powder-blue berets at the Winter Olympics that became instant hits
and quickly sold out at stores around Salt Lake City.

The company said in a statement the outfits aim to embody 'the spirit of American athleticism and sportsmanship.'